Strings Attached

~Chapter 14~

I've considered doing other jobs than just singing at bars etc. But I'm not trained at anything else. And there's a huge risk of me getting caught by the gossipers at school. Nobody knows the situation at home except Seth and Rich.

And I wanna keep it that way. Rich's mum doesn't know about his affair with a guy. Needless to say, she'll be furious when she does. And he knows I could use that to my advantage, so he keeps mum. Pun intended.

I could work at the factory. But I've seen Rich's cronies work there. So that's a no go. Singing gets me more money than I could get anywhere else. And it isn't much effort. Not to mention that I enjoy doing it.

Though the aftertaste is much more bittersweet than downing a beer. Coz I'm sober to take the pain.

Thinking these things, I get to the aforementioned bar, and go straight for the counter. There aren't many people around and somehow, it looks different. But it isn't. The only difference is that I'm not here for a drink.

Not having his number, I ask for Josh from the scraggly guy at the counter whom I've seen tippling glasses before. He harrumphs and then giving me a key, he whispers that he's at the back. Being a regular customer (and an acquaintance of Josh), I know where the 'back' is.

I take the distant door opposite the counter, pass the dimly lit restroom where I can just make out tangled bodies on the couch; probably passed out, and come out into the fresh air, locking the door behind me. There I see the guy, unloading the crates of smuggled wine in the dark.

He eyes me distastefully, like I'm intruding on a private moment. Maybe I am. "Need any help?" I ask him, just to make things a bit normal. He shakes his head in answer.

"What is it?" he asks, and I'm taken by surprise. He hardly speaks, you see. "Am I being that obvious?" I ask him, my lips threatening to break into a smile. Nevertheless, I proceed. "I lost my slot at the PoG. I could use some help, bro."

He doesn't reply instantly. But when he does, it's in the negative. "I don't think I can help you." "Really?! You once told me that I could come to you for help whenever I wanted."

He is in a dilemma, and keeps rubbing his hands on his jeans. By now, almost all the bottles have been unloaded, so he's got no excuse to give. He runs a hand through his top gun hair and then asks me for the keys.

We get on my Harley, and the boy insists to ride. He isn't talkative enough to give directions, you see. And he's doing me a huge favour, so I let him. I just hope he doesn't take me to the dubious part of the city.

It's a hella long ride. We seem to have left the city behind, and we're probably skirting its edges. I hope I haven't made a mistake in trusting him. What if he takes me to a cartel? Will I be able to come out alive?

I'm about to ask him and confirm when he suddenly turns into the parking lot of a surprisingly well-lit and comfy restaurant. 'Tucker's Restaurant & Café' is written in bold and blue at the top of the building.

"It's my uncle's," he informs matter-of-factory and I nod. After he's gone a few paces ahead of me, he suddenly turns around and stops. "Don't mention the 'Iridescent' in front of him!" he warns and I nod vigorously to let him know I understand.

We enter the building, and I find it surprisingly cheery from the inside. Unlike the boy walking in front of me. There are two rows of tables at each end the room, lit by various lamps and colourful shades of fairy lights on the walls.

Most of the tables are occupied with families and some with friend groups and couples.

And there's a small stage at the front of the large room with a stool for the singer instruments arrayed together, facing the audience.

Everything looks quaint and too tame for me, but I think it's better, much better than nothing.

While I stand looking around, Josh has gone ahead and is talking to a tall girl, probably in her twenties, with an apron tied to her waist, her name just peeking out from the frills on the neck of her frock and it reads- 'Patty'.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not checking her out, though she is pretty. I'm just looking for similarities between her and Josh.

The two suddenly turn towards me and the girl gives me a homely smile that I'm a little too frazzled to return. And the next second, Josh comes over and I've lost my chance to return her smile. "Come. We've to talk to Uncle Nick."

And saying this, he escorts me to the kitchens, or probably that's where we're headed. As it turns out, I was right. When we reach the kitchens, there's a disciplined chaos inside.

But Josh is able to make his way without any guidance and reaching a pot-bellied man with whiskers for a moustache, he greets him by patting him on the back. This gets his attention immediately and he grins widely upon seeing who it is.

_____

At 'Tucker's Restaurant & Café', music nights are on Fridays. And there's to be no rap songs, or metals, or songs with vulgar lyrics. That's pretty limiting, I must say. The pay, or rather the bonus, depends upon the amount of tip people leave on the table.

Naturally, if they like the song and the singer, the tip shall be high. And if they don't, you lose. The higher the tip, the higher shall be the pay. I'm not the only singer, by the way. There're two others. And apart from what the man pays us, the tip shall be divided between the three of us.

All of it seems really long-winded, self-demeaning and unsatisfactory, but I can't help it. It's this or nothing else. Bull of choices I've got. Anyway, I'm determined to stick it out here.

Once we've had a deal, I follow Josh out of the kitchen, right when the bell at the entrance tinkles lightly, signalling that somebody has arrived. And when I lift my head, I freeze.

There she is... with her veil on her face, accompanied by a tall, bearded man, apparently her father. For a minute, I can't think straight. I don't know why. Then suddenly, I have a strange epiphany. One that seems familiar, and yet isn't. And I realise what else happened at Hiba's last night.

I keep looking at the girl, probably in a creepy way. At the end of my observation, I come to know that it isn't her, but somebody else. And somehow, I feel disappointed.

I need to go to school.